HISTORY OF OUR LADY OF FATIMA PARISH
The Catholic Church started during the reign of Nana Attafuah I, The Paramount Chief of Kotoku Traditional area, when the church was formerly St. Anthony Catholic Church. It was founded by these prominent people of blessed memory, Opanin Peter Krah and his wife Mary Afua Fofie Ampofo and others. The church building which was first constructed with mud and thatch around the present Co-operative area at Old Town was destroyed by pigs. However, from a loan and money accruing from a casual labour work by the congregation at that time bought burnt bricks and constructed a new church building and a mission house at Old Town near Okyeame Beyeden’s area.
Priests started coming from Saltpong to Akim Swedru where they started celebrating Mass. This made the first German priest to come to Oda, Rev. Fr. Bauman.
In 1921, the church was moved from Old Town to its present location as a central point where most of the people could attend mass. It was around this time the name of the church was changed from St. Anthony to Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church on the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima.
From 1926 to 1951, priests who used to come to Akim Swedru for masses continued their journey to Akim Oda to celebrate mass for the congregation. By this time about 4550 people had been baptized. Since then priests have been assigned to this parish.
In the early 1950s masses were held in the newly opened St. Luke Catholic Primary School building on only Saturday morning for all the catholic faithful who had settled in that area. This helped to relieve the people living in Oda Camp and its environs the burden of walking a long distance at dawn to the then main St. Anthony Catholic Church at Old Town.
A temporal wooden structure was constructed, later converted into a small building by Rev. Fr. Paul Van Riel, the first Parish Priest and used for Saturday morning masses.
After the completion of Our Lady of Fatima church building, which was a bit nearer to them as compared to the St. Anthony at Old Town, the Catholics gradually drifted to Our Lady of Fatima and eventually the Saturday morning masses collapsed. The building was abandoned in the early 1960s. However, Christian communities started to spring up in the late 1970s to help bring the catholic faithful together. There were four (4) main Christian Communities, namely; St. Luke, St. John the Baptist, St. Martha and St. Thomas. Having formed these Christian communities for a while, the people saw it the need to come together and formed a church. They then sent a petition to the then parish priest, Rev. Fr. Jacob Asiedu Frempong.
On 1st November, 2001 on the Feast of All Saints a new church was established at Camp, Oda as All Saints Catholic Church. This helped to bring the catholic faithful around that area to attend morning and Sunday masses. As the catholic faithful continue to grow up in Akim Oda township, the people pleaded that there should be another church closer to them. This will help them to attend morning masses regularly and Sunday masses.
On December 4th 2014, on the feast of Divine Mercy, a new Catholic Church was opened at Akim State College near Aboabo to take care of the catholic faithful living around that vicinity. This was initiated by the then parish priest Rev. Fr. Sylvester Akwasi Agyapong.
STATIONS UNDER OUR LADY OF FATIMA PARISH
Currently there are twelve (12) Outstations under the Parish.
|
NO. |
NAME OF CHURCH (STATION) |
LOCATION (TOWN) |
|
1. |
All Saints Catholic Church |
Akim Oda - Camp |
|
2. |
Divine Mercy Catholic Church |
Akim Oda - Aboabo |
|
3. |
St. Joseph Catholic Church |
Akim Asene |
|
4. |
St. John the Baptist Catholic Church |
Akim Wenchi |
|
5. |
St. Paul Catholic Church |
Oda Nkwanta |
|
6. |
St. John the Baptist Catholic Church |
Akim Gyadam |
|
7. |
St. Anthony Catholic Church |
Akim Abenase |
|
8. |
St. Francis Catholic Church |
Akim Mukyeam |
|
9. |
St. Benedict Catholic Church |
Akim Anyinase |
|
10. |
St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church |
Akim Adwobue |
|
11. |
St. Anthony Catholic Church |
Akim Otwereso |
|
12. |
St. Joseph Catholic Church |
Kwabuadi No. 2 |
CATECHISTS IN THE PARISH
|
NO. |
NAME |
STATION |
|
1. |
Mr. Charles Anane |
Our Lady of Fatima |
|
2. |
Mr. Denis Boamah |
Our Lady of Fatima |
|
3. |
Mr. Stephen Asare Baffour |
Our Lady of Fatima |
|
4. |
Mr. Isaac Appiah |
Our Lady of Fatima |
|
5. |
Miss Bernice Bediako |
Our Lady of Fatima |
|
6. |
Mr. Anthony A. Kordie |
All Saints |
|
7. |
Mr. Paul Nyarko |
All Saints |
|
8. |
Mr. Hackman J. Abbam |
Divine Mercy |
|
9. |
Mr. Collins Boadu |
Asene |
|
10. |
Mr. Daniel A. Owusu |
Asene |
|
11. |
Mr. Christian Dumevi |
Wenchi |
|
12. |
Miss. Philomina Fosuhemaa |
Abenase |
|
13. |
Mr. George Owusu |
Mukyia |
|
14. |
Mr. Mathew Owusu |
Anyinase |
|
15. |
Mr. Bernard Abrokwa |
Adjobue |
|
16. |
Mr. Michael Acheampong |
Kwaboadi No. 2 |
|
17 |
Mr. Ernest Baako |
Otwreso |
|
18. |
Miss. Christian Ayim |
Gyadam |
|
19. |
Mr. Peter Obeng |
Oda Nkwanta |
|
20. |
Mr. Michael Oppong |
Oda Nkwanta |
MASS SCHEDULES
Sunday: 9:30 am
Weekdays: Monday – Saturday: 5:30 am
Thursday- Youth Mass: 7:00 pm
First Friday of every month:-Hour of Grace.
Home Visitation: Thursdays – 7:00am – 12:00pm
CURRENT PRIESTS
V. Rev. Fr. Stephen Asare - Parish Priest
Rev. Fr. Samuel Akrofi – Assistant Priest
Rev. Fr. Charles Agbesi Gagodo – Chaplain St. Francis SHTS / Assistant Priest
CURRENT CHURCH PRESIDENT
President: Mr. Micheal K. Sarpong
Vice: Mr. Samuel Dzandu
OFFICE HOURS
Tuesday – Friday: 8:00 am – 12:30 pm
3:00 pm – 5:00 pm
CATECHISTS (MAIN PARISH)
Mr. Charles Anane
Mr. Dennis Boamah
Miss Bernice Bediako
Mr. Stephen Asare Baffour
Mr. Isaac Appiah
SECRETARY
Mr. Richard Owusu
SOCIETAL GROUPS IN THE MAIN PARISH
Church Choir
Singing Band
Christian Mothers
St. Theresa of The Child Jesus
Knights and Ladies of Marshal
Knights and Ladies of St. John International
Catholic Men
C.Y.O
St. Anthony Guild
Sacred Heart Of Jesus
Catholic Charismatic Renewal
Pax Romana
MISSION
We Proclaim the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ until He comes again.
VISION
That All Parishioners will get Eternal Salvation
Greetings and Response (slogan
Our Lady of Fatima – Pray for Us
Our Lady of Fatima – Pray for Us
Our Lady of Fatima – Pray for Us, now and forever
Contact: 0545774742/0506041500
